Broken Wheels
by Dana1
Summary: (CHapter 6 is up) The newest reformation of the Four Horsemen hit a few large snags. Totally AU!
1. The Night it All Went Wrong

Title: Broken Wheels Author: Dana Rating: PG Warnings: Very mild violence and some swearing Summary: The newest reformation of the Four Horsemen hit a few large snags. Totally AU! Time frame: September 14 1998 Nitro in Greensboro North Carolina. Sound familiar? That was the last reformation of the Four Horsemen. Disclaimer: WWE owns WCW. Some of the names in here are owned by the company that created them. Some are of their own creation, or their real name. Sigh I don't own any of them.  
  
Chris Benoit sighed as he looked at himself in the mirror. He didn't have his jacket on so he could still see the arm brace. He had fractured his elbow in Japan two months previously. He knew he had to tell the others soon about the prognosis.  
  
He turned around to face the others. Dean Malenko was standing there watching the monitors waiting. His best friend looked nervous about something. Why was he nervous? He wondered. Steve 'Mongo' McMichael was putting Pepe back in his container. Ric Flair was sitting in a corner. They had a private dressing room because Ric wasn't supposed to be there that night. They'd be going out soon. Arn Anderson and James J 'JJ' Dillon were already waiting at the entrance to the arena for their cue.  
  
He put his jacket on and sat in a chair. This was it. This was what he, Dean, and Mongo had been trying to reform. Ric was back. Bischoff could go to hell for all he cared. He couldn't stop them this time.  
  
*** Bischoff and Flair were still exchanging words that were making it past the censors. The NWO hit the ring when all of their backs were turned. Nash hit Benoit in the back of the head. Malenko went to Benoit's defense. So people thought.  
  
Benoit couldn't protect his arm from the kick that hit him the arm. He looked up painfully at his best friend. He couldn't do anything as Dean pulled off his arm brace. He then put him in an arm bar.  
  
The other Horsemen couldn't help him.  
  
Before he blacked out from the pain, his last thought was why?  
  
*** The trainer came to ringside to help get Benoit out of the ring. Gene Okerlund came out with a mic. He stopped to watch while Flair, Anderson, Mongo, and JJ are escorted out by security. He walked to the ring.  
  
"Dean why?" He asked. "Chris Benoit's your best friend."  
  
Eric Bischoff was laughing in the ring. He grabbed the mic away from Okerlund. "Don't you get it yet Gene? It was all a set up from the start. This was Dean's reward for getting them all in the ring at the same time." He handed the mic over to Malenko.  
  
"You want to know why? I know Chris can hear me in the back. Benoit you've gone soft. You didn't get the nickname crippler for nothing. You once broke someone's neck and didn't care. Now you are just a guy with a bum elbow. You know something Eric? Chris called me when he got back from Japan and begged me to talk to Arn about reforming the horsemen. Kept telling me I'd make a great member. He never knew that he was asking the enemy."  
  
"I knew I forgot something." He said and grabbed an NWO shirt from Curt Hennig. He tossed it to Dean Malenko who took off his jacket and put it on over his dress shirt. "Better then a Horsemen shirt."  
  
"What are they the two Horsemen now?" Hennig asked.  
  
"Not even that." Bischoff said with a grin. "1 horsemen, 1 retired manager, 1 broken horsemen, and 1 fired horsemen."  
  
*** In the back Mongo, Flair, and Anderson had to be held back by security. They were beyond angry at how the NWO was talking about them.  
  
"They are going to pay." Ric said.  
  
Benoit looked up from the chair he was sitting in. The trainer was carefully checking his elbow. He still couldn't believe his best friend had done that to him. He knew the others couldn't believe that the NWO had tricked them again.  
  
Fool me once shame on you. Fool me twice shame on me.  
  
*** Notes: I have no clue where Thunder was that night. I know where Nitro was though!  
  
Revenge of the Horsemen  
  
Two nights later the remaining Horsemen were plotting their revenge. JJ Dillon had found them an empty room. No one knew they were there.  
  
Benoit was told he hadn't suffered too much damage to his elbow. His girlfriend, Nancy, was leaning against him. She had left wrestling last year but had driven up from her house in Atlanta.  
  
It almost seemed like old times. There was just two women missing. Mongo's ex-wife who used to work with the horsemen was no longer in WCW and Liz who also left WCW.  
  
"We've got to do something." Mongo said. "We can't just sit here and let them get away with that."  
  
"Count me in. They can't get away with it." Benoit agreed. He still couldn't believe his best friend had turned on them.  
  
"What about your elbow?" Nancy asked.  
  
"It'll be okay." Benoit said brushing off her worry.  
  
Ric Flair had the look on his face that said he had come up with an idea. He had been looking at the list of the matches. "Dean's wrestling Chavo tonight. I think I have an idea. Nancy this will include you."  
  
*** Dean Malenko was about to put Chavo Guerrero in the Texas Cloverleaf when he saw someone come down to the ring. It was Nancy Sullivan. What was she doing there? He wondered. He knew she and Chris had been dating.  
  
She strolled over to Schiavonne and sat down next to him. Tony handed her the spare headset.  
  
Dean was distracted by her presence and was rolled up for the pin. Nancy grinned and walked to the ring.  
  
Chavo rolled out of the ring.  
  
Eric Bischoff came down to the ring. "You don't work here anymore!" He yelled at Nancy.  
  
"Oh. I was invited here."  
  
"By who?"  
  
That was when the Horsemen came out of the crowd and into the ring. While Ric and Mongo attacked Dean, Benoit came out to the outside of the ring.  
  
"By me." Chris said.  
  
Eric looked like he was about to punch Benoit when someone came up behind Benoit and knocked him down.  
  
Bret Hart stood there looking down at him. He kicked him a couple times. Nancy jumped on his back and started scratching at him. He flipped her over his head and she landed on the floor.  
  
He and Bischoff quickly left the area. Chris checked his girlfriend.  
  
Malenko quickly left the ring also. 


	2. Uncle Eric Has Flipped His Lid

Notes: This is a Mary Sue free zone. No OC's from me. Don't know about the rest of you but I'm sick of them. Dedicated to the four (or was it five?) wrestlers that passed away this week. One mean word in this fic. Check out title to see why.  
  
Uncle Eric Has Flipped His Lid  
  
"Nancy?" Chris said looking at his injured girlfriend.   
  
"Move aside Chris." WCW's trainer said. He moved over just enough to let the trainer check her over.   
  
"Arrest them!" Eric yelled from the ramp. They all turned around. He was being followed by North Carolina police officers. "They," He said pointing at Flair and Nancy, "Are trespassing. They don't work here and they didn't buy a ticket! She's just a whore!" He said pointing at Nancy who had came to. Chris got up and looked like he was going to punch Bischoff. "You touch me and you're fired Benoit!"  
  
Flair actually let them handcuff him and both he and Nancy were escorted out of the building.   
  
"You are all treading on thin ice." Bischoff said and walked away.  
  
"You have got to be kidding me." Mongo said. "What's he doing here?" He asked pointing at something. Arn and Chris turned around. They couldn't believe who they saw standing with Bischoff talking. He wasn't supposed to be here!  
  
Benoit marched over to the one man he hated more then anyone else and he knew it was mutual. "What the hell are you doing here?"  
  
"Bischoff hired me back as head booker. I'd be careful if I were you Benoit. You don't want to be back in the ring next week do you?"  
  
Benoit glared at him but walked away. Why was he back as booker?   
  
Why did his girlfriend's ex-husband have to be here?   
  
Why couldn't Kevin Sullivan just stay away? 


	3. Just a Minor Set Back

Just a Minor Set Back  
  
"I always knew your ex-wife was a slut." Bischoff said to Sullivan loud enough for Benoit to hear. Benoit walked over and punched his boss. Security had to pull him off. As Benoit was held back by Arn and Mongo, Eric said, "You are fired Benoit! You hear me? You are fired! Security escort him out of the building." Doug Dillinger and crew reluctantly did so. "If you don't get him out of here right now you can join him in the unemployment line!"  
  
"Sorry Chris." Doug said as he closed the door.  
  
Now what are we going to do? Chris wondered.  
  
***  
I've got it." JJ said later that night. It was well past midnight and no one cared.  
  
"What?" Arn asked. He was the only one paying attention. Flair was on the phone with his wife Beth, Chris and Nancy were talking quietly, and Mongo was in the bathroom.  
  
"We'll talk to Schiller and make him understand that your firing wasn't justified. But until then..."  
  
Benoit's cell phone started ringing. "Hello? Oh hey Chris. Nah I was awake. He didn't sign you guys? What the fuck? Yeah he did the same with me." A smile started to form. "Chris can I call you back? Bye." He turned to the others who were staring at him. "That was Christopher Daniels. He and Mike Modest are friends of mine. Seems McMahon didn't sign them."  
  
"So?" Mongo asked. He didn't know who they were.  
  
"Here's a thought. Ric and I can't get into the buildings now." They had tried it earlier and were told they had to leave.  
  
"And you can't until we talk to Schiller." JJ said.  
  
"You know Bischoff will be expecting us to." Arn said.  
  
"But if you guys temporarily replace us in the Horsemen that will really confuse Eric. Especially if two of them had masks on." Chris answered.   
  
A slow smile started to form on Ric's face. "You know something? That might actually work."  
  
"But who?" Mongo asked.  
  
"Why not bring in Modest and Daniels with masks." Chris suggested. "But I don't know about a forth."  
  
There was a knock on the door. Arn got up to answer. "I think the forth just knocked on our door." He said, opening it to let Chavo in. 


	4. It’s Not Him!

Notes: We skip ahead. Another short chapter. Anyone that was watching WCW in 98 knows Bischoff was on some kind of power trip. Firing Flair was one thing. Here's another. Okay Jules it's a day after Christmas. Hope that's okay. Watched Minority Report and Spirit and then there was seeing Nemesis earlier.  
  
It's Not Him!  
  
"You know, I'm not sure this will work." Daniels said as he adjusted the mask that was on his face. He, Chavo, Mike Modest, Daniels, Mongo and Arn were getting ready to go to the ring for the 'reformation' of the Four Horsemen. "Ben Christopherson?"  
  
"Hey that's better then Flick Richardson." Mike Modest said.   
  
"Closest names we could think of to theirs." Arn said. His phone started ringing. "Yeah? We're ready just introduce us."  
  
Eddy Guerrero walked in causing the conversation to stop. "I want to be a part of whatever you are planning." He said thinking about how Bischoff acted earlier that year after he accidentally spilled coffee on him. Well it wasn't really accidental but still. He looked at them for a few seconds. "You have to hide your hair better Daniels." They looked at him in surprise. "Hey they are my friends too. Look I know you don't trust me but I hate Eric just as much as you do."  
  
Arn looked at him. "Here be a Horsemen." Arn said tossing him the shirt. "It's only temporary."  
  
They could hear JJ on a mic it was show time.  
  
"Ladies and gentlemen I have the honor of presenting to you the newest formation of the Four...Five Horsemen?" JJ said as they walked to the ring. He figured they knew what they were doing.  
  
"Bischoff keeps firing Horsemen. Needed to be covered." Eddy said. He really didn't know what was going on but he was interested to see.  
  
"Boss man on ramp." Mongo said under his breath.   
  
"Don't say a word." Arn reminded Daniels and Modest.   
  
JJ spoke up. "You all know Eddy, Chavo, and Mongo. Now it's time to meet the other two. They are new to WCW but are eager to be a part of it. This is Flick Richardson and Ben Christopherson."  
  
A fan yelled very loudly, "You've got to be kidding!"  
  
Eric came to the ring and grabbed a mic out of David Penzer's hand. "You can't be here!" He yelled pointing at Modest and Daniels. They looked at each other then back at Bischoff. "I fired you!"  
  
"I think your confused Bischoff. This is Flick and Ben."  
  
"I know who they are! That's Flair and Benoit! You're not fooling anyone Anderson!"  
  
"I'm sure that's news to them. They weren't a few minutes ago." eddy said.  
  
"All right funny man." Bischoff said to Eddy. He turned his attention back to the masked wrestlers. "You want to be here? You want to parade around in masks? If you beat Malenko and Hennig in a tag match tonight! And I don't care if you aren't cleared!" He turned pointing at Daniels. "You are wrestling."  
  
"Let's make it more interesting Eric. If Flick and Ben win, Ric and Chris get to come back." JJ said.   
  
"Fine whatever! But if they lose nothing changes!" Bischoff said.  
  
"Deal."  
  
***  
Later that night the four wrestlers were ready to start the match. And much to Bischoff's anger, it became a lumberjack match. Dean started in the ring with Modest. Both Modest and Daniels had worked with Flair and Benoit that weekend. They were sure they could pull off an impersonation of the two.  
  
But halfway through the match Malenko started to realize something odd. He was almost sure that Christopherson wasn't Benoit. He knew Benoit's style as well if not better then his own and something wasn't clicking. In addition, for a guy who had elbow surgery only four months ago, he wasn't favoring it at all.  
  
He finally looked at Daniels and said, "You're not Benoit!" He attempted to pull the mask off but Daniels kept his hand on it. Malenko pushed him, accidentally back into the ref. The ref hit the mat. And all hell broke loose. NWO jumped into the ring. Eddy, Mongo, and Chavo jumped into the ring. It was a free for all with no one having the advantage.   
  
All forgot about the match. The match was declared a no contest and nothing changed. 


	5. So You Want to Be Here?

Here's the new chapter of......Broken Wheels  
  
Ric, Chris, and JJ Dillon sat in Dr. Harvey Schiller's office. It had taken them several days to get an appointment with the President of Turner Sports. In the span of a few days Eddy Guerrero was sent to Japan, and Bischoff still had no clue that Modest and Daniels were under masks. Thunder was that night.  
  
"What brings you three here?" Schiller asked.  
  
"We are here to discuss two firings." Dillon said. "Neither were just firings."  
  
"I have been looking into this JJ. And I have found I must disagree with you. One of the firings was not unjust. Mr. Flair did miss shows. That is reason for firing in any company."  
  
"But I asked for the time off." Ric interjected. "I went to an amateur wrestling competition my youngest son was competing in. When I came back Bischoff pretended not to know a thing about it."  
  
"I have no evidence here in the folders of that Ric. But there is some good news. I have looked into Chris' firing and I can overturn his firing. As of," he glanced at his watch, "8:53 AM Chris Benoit is no longer fired." He made a note on a piece of paper. And then signed it.  
  
"Thank you." Chris said feeling bad for Ric. "But what about Ric?"  
  
"I'm sorry but there's nothing I can do about it. I will investigate further into this. Until then nothing has changed Ric." Schiller said. He handed Chris the paper he had just signed. "In case Bischoff gives you any trouble. Is there anything else I can do for you?"   
  
"Yes actually is there anyway you can rehire Nancy?"   
  
He smiled. "That I think I can do." He filled out something else. "Have Nancy sign this. We can work out the actual numbers later."  
  
"Thank you." Chris said taking it.  
  
"Is there anything else?" They shook their heads. "Sorry I couldn't help more."  
  
They left the office. "So now what?" Chris asked.  
  
"Now we get you to Thunder. And we think of how to get Ric rehired. I believe Harvey when he says there's nothing he can do. He's a fair man and will tell you point blank. And if he says he's going to investigate further into it he will. So we can't give up on that."  
  
They drove to the Hartsfield Atlanta International Airport where they had already purchased Chris' ticket. Nancy took the second ticket, which was supposed to be Ric's. They took the plane to Thunder wondering how Bischoff would take this information.   
  
***  
  
Chris and Nancy hadn't realized it would be so easy to walk into the arena. Dillon had gone in ahead of them. Had Schiller told Bischoff? Chris hoped not. It would ruin the surprise. And they knew he would be pissed.  
  
"Chris you can't be here!" Doug Dillinger called hurrying over to them. That gave them their answer.  
  
"Actually I can." He handed him the two pieces of paper.   
  
Doug read them and smiled. "Okay. The rest of the Horsemen are in the third locker room."  
  
"Thanks Doug." Chris said. They walked into the locker room.  
  
"Hey how'd it go?" Mongo asked as soon as he saw them.  
  
"We are both rehired employees. But Schiller couldn't rehire Ric yet. Said there was a just reason for him being fired. But he said he's looking into it." Chris said.   
  
"Cool." Daniels said. "Hey do I have to go out in a mask anymore? I mean if I'm posing as you posing as a masked guy won't that kind of give things away?"  
  
"I..." Arn started to say but the door was slammed open.   
  
Bischoff came in. There goes that idea. Chris thought. "I was just informed that Schiller rehired you." Eric yelled. "He can't do that!"  
  
"He can and he did." Chris said handing over the papers.   
  
Eric read it and his face started to get very red. "You may be rehired but that doesn't mean Flair ever will be. And since you want to be here so bad I'll help you out. You've got a match tonight! Against Dean Malenko!"   
  
"But I'm not cleared." Chris said but he knew that Eric didn't care.  
  
"I don't give a damn! You are wrestling tonight." He stormed out of the locker room.  
  
Chris sank down in the chair. There was no way he could wrestle Dean tonight. His elbow wouldn't last. 


	6. Plan C

Broken Wheels:

The trainer wrapped Chris Benoit's elbow carefully before his match with Dean Malenko. "You really shouldn't be wrestling tonight Chris." The trainer said as he finished wrapping.

"I know but Bischoff didn't give me any choice. But I'll try to handle it." Chris got off the table and took the elbow pad that Nancy had waiting for him. Chris couldn't believe how much pain something like that caused him. How was he going to get through this match? He hated Bischoff so much right now.

"Try to protect your elbow as much as possible. I know that will be hard but try."

As they walked into the locker room Nancy thought of something. "Chris is there any moves that you can do? The Crossface and flying head butt are certainly out of the question as are your suplexes. What are you going to do?"

"I don't know. I will think about it as I go I guess."

"You could always not wrestle." Mongo said as he laced Chris' boots for him.

"I am not going to drop out of the match. It would give Bischoff too much satisfaction. I know Dean's style. I think I can do this." Chris said. He got up. It was time for the match.

Nancy walked out with him. The others said they would come out if the NWO tried anything. So he knew they'd be watching out. He knew there was no telling what the NWO'd try. They all hated the Four Horsemen.

Dean came out with Curt Hennig. The two ex-friends stared each other down, each one waiting for the other to make the first move. They circled each other both knowing each other like the back of their hands. Chris was at a big disadvantage in the match because he was injured. Chris hadn't forgotten also that Dean had taught him the Crippler Crossface. So even if he had been at 100 that would have been a problem. Chris took the few seconds to try to come up with a way to handle this. He looked down at his girlfriend who was urging him on. He looked over once again at his ex-best friend, who stared right back at him, his gaze never wavering. He looked down at Curt who looked ready to attack at any moment. And to think all of them had been former Horsemen. The only one that hadn't was the referee.

He finally made the first move. He punched Dean with his good hand and then hit a dropkick. He flinched when he came down. He landed hard. Then he kicked him in the leg. There wasn't all that much he could do with one arm except keep on the offensive.

He didn't stay on the offense long as Curt Hennig grabbed his leg and pulled him down. He fell. Soon Dean Malenko was all over him and had him in an arm bar and was pulling back as hard as he could. He got into the ropes but Dean wouldn't let go. The ref signaled for the bell but Dean still wouldn't let go. Chris was close to blacking out when he felt his arm being released. He rolled over and saw that there was a huge brawl between the Horsemen and the NWO. Nancy was pulling him gently outside of the ring. They both stood there and watched the two groups go at each other.

Finally security was able to pry them off of each other and both groups were escorted separately to the back. "Thanks for coming out." Chris said as Nancy helped him put the arm brace back on.

"I hate to bring this up, Mongo said. "But Eric will retaliate. He won't give up because of this."

"I know Mongo." Arn said. "But there's no telling what he'll do. He's shifty. We'll have to be ready for anything and we have to think about how to get Ric back into the company."

"You guys hear about the Internet Effort earlier this year?" Daniels asked. They shook their heads. "A group of fans on the Internet got together because they also believed it was an unjust firing. There was a boycott and even an effort to have him win People Online's Most Beautiful People Poll. He almost did too."

"I got emails about that, but what are you getting at?" Arn asked.

"We can start our own effort in this company to get Ric rehired."

"You know what Chris? That idea is almost crazy enough to work." JJ said with a smile.


End file.
